EMD "SD38" Locomotives

Last revised: June 21, 2023

By: Adam Burns

The SD38 series included the original model and later variants including the SD38AC, SD38-2, SD39, and SDL39. The models utilized General Motors' latest prime mover at the time, the model 645, but overall proved to be relatively unsuccessful. Between the SD38 and its variants, including those built for foreign systems, just a little more than 200 examples were manufactured. 

However, they were ruggedly built locomotives meant for use in heavy-haul, drag service and many units remain in regular freight service for years.

None are currently known to be preserved with a museum or in operation on an excursion train. However, several remain in operation with both large and small railroads, from Class Is to shortlines.

Photos

Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range SD38AC #207 is seen here in Proctor, Minnesota during May of 1988. Warren Calloway photo.

History

The SD38 began production in the spring of 1967, the first six-axle model to feature GM's 16-cylinder model 645E3 prime mover.

A somewhat lightly powered C-C design, the SD38 was rated at only 2,000 horsepower but could produce a continuous tractive effort rating of over 82,000 pounds (and 90,000 starting) using GM's D77 traction motors.

This made the locomotive ideal for heavy drag service, particularly in the movement of commodities such as coal and ore.

As such, many buyers of the locomotive moved this type of freight like the Bessemer & Lake Erie, Penn Central, Southern Pacific, Chicago & Illinois Midland, Southern Pacific, and others (lines like the B&LE purchased nearly every variant of the model).

The SD38 was built through the fall of 1971 with only seven railroads purchasing the model, mostly smaller lines or industrial operations (the Penn Central bought the most, 35, numbered 6925-6959).

Ultimately, only 53 SD38s were sold to US railroads. Other lines to purchase the original SD38 included the B&LE (3, numbered 861-863), Detroit, Toledo & Ironton (five, numbered 250-254), Elgin, Joliet & Eastern (6, numbered 650-655), Kaiser Bauxite (4, numbered 5101-5104), and McCloud River Railroad (3, numbered 36-38). Also, Orinoco Mining of Venezuela bought 7, numbered 1021–1027.

However, in 1972 EMD released a variant, the SD38-2 which mostly included upgraded components and the latest computer systems to make the locomotive more efficient (known as the "Dash 2" line the builder  cataloged several models in the series the most popular of which was the SD40-2).

The Yankeetown Dock Corporation acquired a few SD38-2's to handle coal tonnage. Here, #20 readies to take empties back to the mines at Yankeetown, Indiana on July 26, 1980. Doug Kroll photo.

The model looked almost identical to the SD40-2 with its long front and aft "porches" which gave the locomotive a length of over 68-feet, three feet longer than the SD38.

It sold a bit better with 81 purchased by US railroads and industries including; BC Hydro (3, numbered 382-384), B&LE (13, numbered 870-879, 890-892), C&IM (6, numbered 70-75), Chicago & North Western (10, numbered 6650-6659), Missabe (5, numbered 209-213), EJ&E (13, numbered 656-668), Louisville & Nashville (5, numbered 4500-4504), McCloud #39, Northern Alberta Railway (4, numbered 401-404), Reserve Mining (9, numbered 1237-1245), Frisco (4, numbered 296-299), SP (6, numbered 2971-2976), U.S. Steel #1, Yankeetown Dock (3, numbered 20-22). 

Data Sheet and Specifications

Entered Production5/1967 (Bessemer & Lake Erie #861-863)
Years Produced (SD38)5/1967 - 7/1971
Years Produced (SD38-2)11/1972 - 6/1979
Years Produced (SD38AC)6/1971 - 7/1971
Years Produced (SD39)8/1968 - 4/1970
Years Produced (SDL39)3/1969 - 11/1972
Engine645E3
Engine BuilderGM
Horsepower2000
Horsepower (SD39)2300
RPM800
Cylinders16
Cylinders (SD39)12
Length65' 8"
Length (SD39)65' 9"
Length (SDP38, SD38-2)68' 10"
Height (Top Of Rail To Top Of Cab)15' 5 ½"
Width10' 4"
Weight360,000 Lbs
Weight (SDL39)250,000 Lbs
Fuel Capacity3200 Gallons
Fuel Capacity (SDL39)1700 Gallons
Air CompressorGardner-Denver
Air Compressor ModelWBO
Air Brake ManufacturerWestinghouse
Air Brake Schedule26L
TrucksC-C
Truck TypeHT-C
Truck Wheelbase13' 7"
Wheel Size40"
Traction MotorsD77 (6), GM
Primary GeneratorD32, GM
Primary Generator (SD38-2)AR10, GM
Auxiliary GeneratorDelco (A8102)
Steam Generator (SDP38)Vapor-Clarkson (model AR4125)
AlternatorD14
MU (Multiple-Unit)Yes
Dynamic BrakesYes
Gear Ratio59:15
Tractive Effort (Starting)90,000 Lbs at 25%
Tractive Effort (Starting)82,800 Lbs at 25% (SDL39)
Tractive Effort (Continuous)82,100 Lbs at 6.6 mph
Tractive Effort (Continuous)82,100 Lbs at 8 mph
Top Speed95 mph

Production Roster

SD38

Total Built = 108

Owner Road Number(s) Serial Number(s) Order Number Completion Date
Bessemer & Lake Erie 861-863 33053-33055 7986 5/1967
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton 250-252 34863-34865 7161 7/1969-8/1969
McCloud River 36-38 34880-34882 7167 5/1969
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 650-654 36141-36145 7243 1/1970-2/1970
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 655 36163 7243 2/1970
Penn Central 6925-6959 36406-36440 7264 5/1970
Detroit, Toledo & Ironton 253-254 36872-36873 7330 7/1971

Export

Owner Road Number(s) Serial Number(s) Order Number(s) Completion Date
Kaiser Bauxite (Jamaica) 5101 31609 710498 6/1966
Central Railway of Brazil 3601-3645 32183-32227 710636-710680 2/1967-4/1967
Kaiser Bauxite (Jamaica) 5102 32859 710769 2/1967
Orinoco Mining Company (Venezuela) 1021-1023 32964-32966 710832-710834 4/1967
Orinoco Mining Company (Venezuela) 1024-1027 36830-36833 711667-711670 8/1970
Kaiser Bauxite (Jamaica) 5103 37077 711818 6/1971
Kaiser Bauxite (Jamaica) 5104 38479 712147 8/1971

SD38-2

Total Built = 90

Owner Road Number(s) Serial Number(s) Completion Date
Yankeetown Dock Corporation 20-21 5795-1, 5795-2 11/1972
Bessemer & Lake Erie 870-878 72677-1 thru 72677-9 3/1973-5/1973
Southern Pacific 2971-2976 72681-1 thru 72681-6 4/1973
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 656-659 73654-1 thru 73654-4 1/1974
Chicago & Illinois Midland 70-75 74605-1/6 5/1974
Bessemer & Lake Erie 879 74612-1 2/1974
McCloud River Railroad 39 74623-1 8/1974
Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 209-213 74649-1 thru 74649-5 3/1975
Bessemer & Lake Erie 890-891 74677-1/2 4/1975
Louisville & Nashville 4500-4504 74679-1 thru 74679-5 1/1975
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 660-664 75602-1 thru 75602-5 1/1975
Chicago & North Western 6650-6659 75618-1 thru 75618-10 1/1975
Elgin, Joliet & Eastern 665-668 756067-1 thru 756067-4 11/1975
Bessemer & Lake Erie 892 756069-1 3/1976
U.S. Steel (Cumberland Mine) 1 756078-1 12/1975
Yankeetown Dock Corporation 22 776049-1 12/1978
Reserve Mining Company 1237-1245 786142-1 thru 786142-9 10/1978
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco) 296-297 786187-1, 786187-2 6/1979
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway (Frisco) 298-299 786199-1, 786199-2 6/1979

Export

Owner Road Number(s) Serial Number(s) Order Number Completion Date
B.C. Hydro & Power Authority (Canada) 382-383 71606-1, 71606-2 C348 (GMDD) 12/1972
B.C. Hydro & Power Authority (Canada) 384 74614-1 C367 (GMDD) 8/1974
Orinoco Mining Company (Venezuela) 1028-1029 713290-713291 713290-713291 10/1974
Orinoco Mining Company (Venezuela) 1030-1032 748031-1 thru 748031-3 748031 6/1976
Jari Railway (Brazil) 10-11 778022-1, 778022-2 778022 6/1978

SD38AC

Total Built = 15

Owner Road Number(s) Serial Number(s) Order Number Completion Date
Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range 201-208 37069-37076 06/71 (5767)
Bessemer & Lake Erie 864-869 37703-37708 07/71 (7327)
B.C. Hydro & Power Authority (Canada) 381 37816 C340 (GMDD) 10/1971

SD39

Total Built = 54

Owner Road Number(s) Quantity Date Built
Southern Pacific 5300-5317 33998-34015 7110 8/1968-10/1968
Minneapolis, Northfield & Southern 40-41 34127-34128 7119 10/1968
Illinois Terminal 2301-2306 34883-34888 7168 5/1969-6/1969
Santa Fe 4000-4011 35020-35031 7176 5/1969
Santa Fe 4012-4019 35032-35039 7178 6/1969
Southern Pacific 5318-5325 35815-35822 7219 4/1970

SDL39

Total Built = 10

Owner Road Numbers Serial Numbers Order Number Completion Date
Milwaukee Road 581-585 34272-34276 7135 3/1969
Milwaukee Road 586-590 7345-1 thru 7345-5 72648 11/1972

Export Variants

SDP38

Total Built = 40

Owner Road Numbers Serial Numbers Order Numbers Completion Date
Korean National Railroad 6351-6390 32914-32953 710792-710831 5/1967-7/1967

SD38-2TC

Total Built = 8

Owner Road Numbers Serial Numbers Order Number Completion Date
Orinoco Mining Company (Venezuela) 1041-1048 928793-1 thru 928793-8 928793 6/1994

SDL38

Total Built = 6

Owner Road Numbers Serial Numbers Order Number Completion Date
Saudi Government Railway 2030-2035 20148061-1 thru 20148061-6 20148061 7/2016-8/2016

SDL38-2

Total Built = 6

Owner Road Numbers Serial Numbers Order Number Completion Date
Saudi Government Railway 2004-2009 778050-1 thru 778050-6 778050 8/1978

McCloud River Railroad SD38 #37 switches customers at Cayton, California on May 11, 2006. This was one of the three the road purchased in 1969. The historic short line has since closed. Drew Jacksich photo.

Additionally, another seven sold to foreign operations including two to Jari Railway of Brazil and five to Orinoco Mining. Two other variants of the model was the SDP38 and SD38M.

The former was sold to the Korean National Railways, which purchased 40 and the latter to the Brazil Federal Railways, which purchased 34.

And finally, there was the SD38AC. This locomotive was all but identical to the original except for its AR10 alternator in replace of the standard General Motors model D32 generator allowing the locomotive to produce more tractive effort. Just 15 of these units were sold; six to the B&LE, eight to the Missabe, and one to BC Hydro. 

Today, you can still find SD38 and variants in operation on railroads such as the Reading & Northern, Norfolk Southern, B&LE/Canadian National, EJ&E/CN, Western Rail, Iowa Interstate, and CSX Transportation. 

Sources

  • Foster, Gerald. A Field Guide To Trains. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1996.
  • Marre, Louis A. Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years, A Guide To Diesels Built Before 1972.  Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1995.
  • Pinkepank, Jerry A. Diesel Spotter's Guide.  Milwaukee: Kalmbach Publishing Company, 1967.
  • Schafer, Mike. Vintage Diesel Locomotives. Osceola: MBI Publishing, 1998.
  • Solomon, Brian.  EMD Locomotives.  Minneapolis: MBI Publishing Company, 2006.
  • Solomon, Brian.  GE and EMD Locomotives:  The Illustrated History.  Minneapolis:  Voyageur Press, 2014.
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